Shoe gore



July 5 1966 H. H. MINOR ETAL. 3,258,862

sHoE GORE Filed Aug. 5, 1964 INVENTORS. Hav/ZY M//vae Jaf//v 72 AdM/0eBMM ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 5, 1966 3,258,862 SHOE GORE Henry H. Minor, Wyoming, andJohn T. Minor, Batavia, N.Y., assgnors to P. W. Minor & Son, Inc.,Batavia, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 5, 1964, Ser. No.387,700 6 Claims. (Cl. 36--58.5)

This invention relates to a shoe gore and relates more particularly to ashoe having an elastic gore back at the heel portion of the upper toimprove the fit of the shoe.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of a shoe having anelastic gore back which is sturdy and durable in construction,comfortable and efficient in use, and relatively simple and inexpensiveto manufacture, assemble, utilize and maintain.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an elastic goreback shoe which will greatly red-uce, or eliminate completely, slippingat the heel of all types of shoes, mens womens and childrens--dress orcausal.

A further object of the instant invention is the pro- Vision of' a goreof elastic or stretchable material assembled under tension bridgingacross the back interior of the shoe.

A still further object of the instant invention is the provision of agore back shoe of the type described wherein the 4gore is spaced fromthe heel portion of the upper to define a counter receiving pockettherebetween, the gore not following the contour of the counter andbeing unsecured thereto.

Yet another object of the instant invention is the provision of a shoehaving an elastic heel .gore which is particularly comfortable to thewearer.

As conducive to a better understanding of the instant invention it is tobe realized that the normal back curve of a shoe is slight, causingconstant slipping between the heel of the wearer and the back of theshoe which is both annoying and uncomfortable to the wearer and alsofails to provide yhim with complete support for his foot.

The elastic gore of the instant invention is secured in position undertension to greatly increase the back curve of the shoe thereby huggingthe heel and reducing or eliminating heel slipping. In addition, theliexible gore of this invention provides a pillowing effect that isparticularly comfortable to the wearer.

Other and further objects reside in the combination of elements,arrangement of parts and features of construction.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed outas the description of the invention proceds and as shown in theaccompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE l is a fragmentary top plan view of the heel portion of the shoe;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 ofFIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on line4 4 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view to a reduced scale of the pattern formingthe elastic Lgore of the instant invention.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings.

Referring to the drawing in general, the heel portion of one embodimentof shoe utilizing the instant inventive concept is designated generallyby the reference numeral and comprises basically an upper 12 having atop line 14 and a bottom line 16 and defining a heel portion shown inthe drawing, a shank or outer sole 18 secured to the upper 12 in anyconventional manner adjacent the bottom line of the same, a heel 20which may be of any desired shape or structure secured by nails or otherwell known means to the shank 18, a counter 22 juxtaposed interiorly ofthe heel section of the upper 12, a pair of quarter linings 24, 26having upper edge portions secured by stitching or the like to the topline 14 of the upper 12 on each side Iof the heel portion and lower edgeportions secured in any conventional manner adjacent the bottom line 16of the upper 12 on each side of the heel portion with any desiredadditional layers such as an inner sole 28, a heel pad 30, a slipsole 32and an arch support plate 34 superimposed and secured to each other inany manner well known to those with ordinary skill in the art. It is tobe understood that the specific construction, size or style of the shoeis not significant to the instant inventive concept, and that theparticular details shown in the drawings are only illustrative of oneform of shoe with which this invention lmay be utilized.

Referring particularly -to FIGURE 5, the gore is designated generally bythe reference numeral 36 and comprises an upper edge portion 38 and alower edge portion 40, both of which are preferably defined by theselvage of the material, the upper edge portion 38 being smaller thanthe lower edge portion 40 with angularly disposed opposed side portions42, 44 connecting the same, intermediate portions of the gore 3-6defining a V-shaped slit 46 extending centrally partway from Ithe loweredge portion 40 to the upper edge portion 38. The gore of the instantinvention is Iformed of an elastic material and is dimensioned smallerthan conventional gores utilized heretofore to necessitate thestretching of the same in positioning the gore for use in the shoe 10.

The upper edge portion 38 of the gore 36 is secured to the top line 14of the heel portion of the upper 12 intermediate the upper edge portionsof the quarter linings 24, 26 in stretched relationship. The oppositelydisposed side portions 42, 44 of the gore 36 are secured to the quarterlinings between the upper and lower edge portions of the quarter liningsto cause the gore -to bridge the back of the shoe 10 in spacedrelations-hip to the upper 12 as seen patricularly in FIGURES 3 and 4 todefine therebetween a counter receiving pocket 48. The portions definingthe slit 46 are secured to each other as indicated in dotted lines at 50in FIGURE 3 to form a heel receiving arcuate portion and the lower edgeportions 40 of the gore 36 are secured adjacent the bottom line 16 ofthe heel portion of the upper 12 intermediate the lower edge portions ofthe quarter linings 24, 26 in any conventional manner.

One method of assembling the shoe is to first stitch the gore 36 to thequarter linings 24, 26 the narrow part or upper edge portion 38 beingadjacent the top line. The V-shaped slit 46 is then stitched together asat 50 to fit the heel curve of the last. This being done, the assemblyis then attached to the upper 12 by top stitching as in a conventionalshoe. The finished upper is then properly mulled and assembled on thelast by first inserting the counter 22 in the gore pocket 48 and gluingthe same to the upper 12, care being taken that none of the adhesivemeans ltouches the gore 36 so that the major portion of the g-ore isunsecured in stretched relationship. The remainder of the procedure formanufacturing the shoe can take any conventional form.

The use of the gore back shoe ofthe instant invention will now be seen.The elastic gore will cling to or hug the heel of the wearer therebyreducing or eliminating slippage at this point. Additionally, the softand flexible unsecured gore provides a cushioning effect to the wearerrendering the shoe more comfortable.

It will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved elasticgore for a shoe which satisfies all the objectives of the instantinvention, and others, including many advantages of great practicalutility and commercial importance.

Since many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and sincemany modiiications may be made of the embodiments hereinbefore shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that all matter herein is t-o beinterpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

1. In a shoe including an upper having a heel portion wit-l1 a top lineand a bottom line, a counter juxtaposed interiorly of said heel portionof said upper, and a pair of quarter linings juxtaposed interiorly ofsaid upper, said quarter linings having an upper edge portion secured tosaid top line of said upper on each side of said heel portion and alower edge portion secured adjacent said bottom line of said upper oneach side of said heel portion, the improvement which comprises anelastic gore having an upper edge portion secured to said top linerofsaid heel portion of said upper intermediate said upper edge portions ofsaid quarter linings, oppositely disposed side portions secured to saidquarter linings between said upper and lower edge portions of saidquarter linings, and a lower edge portion secured adjacent said bottomline of said heel portion of said upper intermediate saidlower edgeportions of said quarter linings.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein only said side portions of said goreare secured intermediate said upper and lower edge portions of the same,the remainder of said gore being unsecured.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said top line of said upperintermediate said quarter linings is larger than said upper edge portionof said gore and said gore is secured to said top line of said upper instretched relationship.

4. The structure of claim 2 wherein said gore is secured to said upperand said quarter linings in stretched relationship.

5. The structure of claim 2 wherein said upper and said gore denedtherebetween a pocket, said counter being received in said pocket andbeing secured to said upper only/,said gore being spaced from saidcounter in stretched relationship.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein said gore includes portions defininga V-shaped slit extending centrally partway from said lower edge portiontowards said upper edge portion of said gore, said portions definingsaid slit being secured to each other to form a heel receiving arcuateportion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 611,266 9/1898Morse 36-51 648,958 5/1900 Horne 36-51 1,282,584 10/1918 Hunter 66-5851,781,197 11/1930 Schroeter -36--585 2,097,810 11/1937 Dawes 36-51 FRANKJ. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A SHOE INCLUDING AN UPPER HAVING A HEEL PORTION WITH A TOP LINEAND A BOTTOM LINE, A COUNTER JUXTAPOSED INTERIORLY OF SAID HEEL PORTIONOF SAID UPPER, AND A PAIR OF QUARTER LININGS JUXTAPOSED INTERIORLY OFSAID UPPER, SAID QUARTER LININGS HAVING AN UPPER EDGE PORTION SECURED TOSAID TOP LINE OF SAID UPPER ON EACH SIDE OF SAID HEEL PORTION AND ALOWER EDGE PORTION SECURED ADJACENT SAID BOTTOM LINE OF SAID UPPER ONEACH SIDE OF SAID HEEL PORTION, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES ANELASTIC GORE HAVING AN UPPER EDGE PORTION SECURED TO SAID TOP LINE OFSAID HEEL PORTION OF SAID UPPER INTERMEDIATE SAID UPPER EDGE PORTIONS OFSAID QUARTER LININGS, OPPOSITELY DISPOSED SIDE PORTIONS SECURED TO SAIDQUARTER LININGS BETWEEN SAID UPPER AND LOWER EDGE PORTIONS OF SAIDQUARTER LININGS, AND A LOWER EDGE PORTION SECURED ADJACENT SAID BOTTOMLINE OF SAID HEEL PORTION OF SAID UPPER INTERMEDIATE SAID LOWER EDGEPORTIONS OF SAID QUARTER LININGS.